After looking over the pics on our blog you guys must think we're cruising through paradise. We haven't really shown the nitty gritty side of Guatemala, so here are some of my thoughts on the Third World.
I have trouble with the phrase "I'm proud to be an American" because I'm not always proud of our country's values or actions, but I will say "I am very lucky to be an American." This is my first time in a third world country, aside from a few trips to a Mexican resort when I was a kid. Guatemala is a gorgeous country, rivaling in natural beauty and tropical splendor anything Hawaii or the Caymen Islands have to offer, but lets just say I was in for a bit of a shock.
After my first cold shower I had to come to terms with a number of first world conveniences I had taken for granted. Even armed with my light saber (the nickname we've given to our Steripen water purifying device) I still suffered from intestinal disorders and a bad bout of food poisoning, which had me on the floor or a communal bathroom clinging to a toilet that didn't flush. A harrowing ride on the local "chicken bus" where the driver whipped around harpin turns at 70mph and passed tiny tuk-tuks on blind curves had me clinging to Patrick for dear life. Everyone here seems to be carrying either a shotgun or a machete or both. And everyone is looking at us: because we are white, because we are a foot taller than them, because, even in our rattiest and smelliest clothes, the gear we are wearing on our backs is more than most people's entire net worth.
It is all sobering and sickening and fascinating at the same time. More than anytime in my life I realize how blessed I am to be an American - to have opportunity - to have US dollars in the bank. My rock bottom standard of living is an unattainable dream for many Guatemalans. But its also made me think - since I have 10 times as much I should be 10 times as happy - right?
This is my little friend Elda. She is 10. I asked her to show me where the bathroom was and she gave me a huge hug and wouldn't let go of my hand for the rest of the day. She took me to her house -a 4 room cinderblock with dirt floors. She proudly showed me the room she shared with her 3 siblings and her scruffy pet rabbit Blanca. When I asked how many siblings she had she said 2 sisters living, one dead and one brother. Very matter of fact, its just the way things are here. Elda's family is rich by Guatemalan standards. Her mother runs a tortilla business where she makes 2 Quetzales (about 24 cents) for 10 handmade tortillas. Her father owns a "lancha", a local water taxi (we paid $3 for a 30 min ride). This family is so happy. They were so happy to have us hang out in their tortilla hut. They bought us coke and stuffed us with all the tortillas we could eat. The whole family joined us on the lancha ride to our hotel. Each of them probably owns about 5 things. I have a 10 x 10 storage unit packed with junk waiting for me. I gave Elda my lip gloss and it was like I had given her the moon.
Pat and I just sent half the contents of our backpacks home with Jeremy and Rachel when we sadly had to part ways. We are going to take a clue from our Guatemalan friends, strip down to the essentials and concentrate on what really matters - being with someone we love.
~Amalia~
I have trouble with the phrase "I'm proud to be an American" because I'm not always proud of our country's values or actions, but I will say "I am very lucky to be an American." This is my first time in a third world country, aside from a few trips to a Mexican resort when I was a kid. Guatemala is a gorgeous country, rivaling in natural beauty and tropical splendor anything Hawaii or the Caymen Islands have to offer, but lets just say I was in for a bit of a shock.
After my first cold shower I had to come to terms with a number of first world conveniences I had taken for granted. Even armed with my light saber (the nickname we've given to our Steripen water purifying device) I still suffered from intestinal disorders and a bad bout of food poisoning, which had me on the floor or a communal bathroom clinging to a toilet that didn't flush. A harrowing ride on the local "chicken bus" where the driver whipped around harpin turns at 70mph and passed tiny tuk-tuks on blind curves had me clinging to Patrick for dear life. Everyone here seems to be carrying either a shotgun or a machete or both. And everyone is looking at us: because we are white, because we are a foot taller than them, because, even in our rattiest and smelliest clothes, the gear we are wearing on our backs is more than most people's entire net worth.
It is all sobering and sickening and fascinating at the same time. More than anytime in my life I realize how blessed I am to be an American - to have opportunity - to have US dollars in the bank. My rock bottom standard of living is an unattainable dream for many Guatemalans. But its also made me think - since I have 10 times as much I should be 10 times as happy - right?
This is my little friend Elda. She is 10. I asked her to show me where the bathroom was and she gave me a huge hug and wouldn't let go of my hand for the rest of the day. She took me to her house -a 4 room cinderblock with dirt floors. She proudly showed me the room she shared with her 3 siblings and her scruffy pet rabbit Blanca. When I asked how many siblings she had she said 2 sisters living, one dead and one brother. Very matter of fact, its just the way things are here. Elda's family is rich by Guatemalan standards. Her mother runs a tortilla business where she makes 2 Quetzales (about 24 cents) for 10 handmade tortillas. Her father owns a "lancha", a local water taxi (we paid $3 for a 30 min ride). This family is so happy. They were so happy to have us hang out in their tortilla hut. They bought us coke and stuffed us with all the tortillas we could eat. The whole family joined us on the lancha ride to our hotel. Each of them probably owns about 5 things. I have a 10 x 10 storage unit packed with junk waiting for me. I gave Elda my lip gloss and it was like I had given her the moon.
Pat and I just sent half the contents of our backpacks home with Jeremy and Rachel when we sadly had to part ways. We are going to take a clue from our Guatemalan friends, strip down to the essentials and concentrate on what really matters - being with someone we love.
~Amalia~
